Driving trips getting more expensive, but families still hitting the road

Road trips have been a great way for my family  to see parts of the country that are harder to reach by train, and we've made plenty of great memories doing so. However, with travel costs continuing to creep up, many people are keeping a closer eye on the budget before setting off.

A new survey by Honda Access found that families are now willing to spend an average of ¥40,067 on a long-distance road trip involving an overnight stay, which is up ¥1,530 from last year. For a day trip, the average budget was ¥12,811.

Food is actually the biggest part of the appeal, with 58.3% of respondents saying they enjoy gourmet experiences on long drives. Scenic spots, activities, and shopping also ranked highly. I think michi no eki are a big part of this, and I personally love getting to try different regional specialties at them. 

Tolls were one of the big expenses to watch. This summer, 39.5% of respondents said the lack of ETC holiday discounts during Obon and three-day weekends would affect their plans. More than half of those people said they were scheduling their trips around days when the discount applies, while others planned routes that avoid expressways altogether.